Secrets of the Blue
by BannanaMilk
Summary: Life has not always been kind to Edward Nygma. Living with your aggressive father at age 30 is not the least bit rewarding. But he finds small comforts in the sea and in this mysterious man that has just moved to town. Merperson AU. References of violence and abuse.


He'd washed up with the tide, they said, the peculiar boy who'd just moved to the small oceanside town just miles from the city.

Perhaps he was from a land, far far away and that is why he was so different from you and I.

Edward had never put much care into what other people said. There was no mystery in the mundane. Nothing to learn, nothing to discover.

He chose to feed his hungry mind ( no matter what trouble it got him into) with puzzles, stories and whispers from the beginning of time.

* * *

It was in the cafe near the shore that he first saw him.

Eyes lost in the pages of a book, fingers toying gently with his pastry. Hair, stark black. Eyes, green like the sea.

The moon pulled them together like it pulled tide.

It seems as though he felt the heavy stare upon him, because he tilted his head, first watching out of the corner of his eye.

Ed looked away hastily, turning his eyes back to the newspaper in his hands.

He peeked at the young man through the corner of his eye, spying to see if he had returned his gaze to the book in front of him. Brown eyes moved slowly to watch the back of the black haired head shift back into place.

The man turned quickly locking eyes with Ed before he could cover his tracks. "Can I help you?" His voice snippy,his eyes narrowing at the his spectator.

Ed was frozen, caught in the act. Those green eyes hissing like Medusa's many snakes. He was frightfully embarrassed but he couldn't bear to look away. "You...eyes...their nice."

This only seemed to irritate the man further.

"They remind me of an anthopleura xanthogrammica, the giant green anemone. _Fascinating_ ," Ed mumbled, unknowingly crushing his news paper in a firm grasp.

The man's eyes seemed to soften. "Uh...thank...you." He said skeptically and glanced down at his book without a word more.

Ed smiled to himself and carefully unfolded the crumbled newspaper.

Maybe it was a trick of his mind, but he could have sworn that the stranger had glanced in his direction a few times before he had left the cafe.

* * *

It began, the slow dance of fleeting glances, lazy smiles, passing remarks.

One day Ed worked up the courage to approach his mysterious subject.

"The Old man and the Sea. Good choice."

Green eyes rose from the page to search his face curiously. A little smug smirk that was painted on the man's lips made Edward feel delightfully anxious. His stomach twisting and turning in knots.

"It's a classic isn't it? A metaphorical mission with literal roots. I suppose it's a lesson for the ages." He said while shrugging. He noticed Ed glancing at the seat across from him and nodded his head.

Ed let an internal sigh of relief wash over him as he took the seat, placing his pile of books on the table between them.

He nodded to the green eyed man. "I'd agree. It's simple, clear cut. Something that anyone could grasp."

" _It's sad really_." The stranger mused. "Aside from the moral, that the man had wasted so much time chasing, pining, fighting just to come home with nothing of substance. It's sad that he had so little regard for the marvels of sea." He rest his chin on the palm of his hand and watched Ed, green eyes swirling with specks of unbridled curiosity.

"Yes, the sea is often our unwilling victim."

The stranger smiled, eyes glowing with the force of the full moon, vexing him forward.

"I'm Oswald. Pleasant to meet you."

At the moment Edward knew he was in love.

 _Metaphorically, intellectually. Cerebral soul mates. Twins of the mind._

He nodded toward his new companion. "Edward, or Ed really."

Oswald could not see it yet, but he would. And they would be the best of friends.

* * *

The crossed paths once, twice once again until it stopped becoming an accident.

Oswald scribbled down his phone number on the back of a crumpled receipt and Ed's heart leapt with with joy.

He stared at the digits all night, fingers itching to dial them, mind chiding him to be patient. _Now Ed you wouldn't want to scared him away like all the rest of your friends._

But Oswald wasn't like the rest of them. He was smart, intuitive, curious. He was clever, understanding and a little bit mischievous. He was different like Ed, and different was a good thing.

After two days, Ed finally called. They spent at least two hours on the phone after deciding to meet at the marina tomorrow.

There was never a moment in Ed's life where he had felt so carefree.

* * *

Gulls landed around them. Edward tossed them a few crumbs of bread from his sandwich.

"You always seem to be studying. Are you doing your Masters?" Oswald tucked away the remnants of their lunch into the picnic basket.

"PhD," Ed said proudly.

"In forensic science still?" Oswald carefully unwrapped a pastry and handed it over to him.

"Yes, it's my best option for getting into a leadership position." He fidgeted with the end of his sleeve, a little frown wrinkling his brow. "I guess then I can say I did something _meaningful with my life._ " He took the pastry, his signature smile creeping back into his face.

Oswald drew his brows together. "You're brilliant and you are working for the city police department. I'd say that you are _very accomplished_."

"Hah," Ed tried to scrape the bitterness from the laugh. "I wish my dad felt the same way."

He thought he saw something stir in Oswald's eyes.

A moment of silence lingered between them. Ed wondered, _quite nervously_ , if he had done something wrong.

Oswald looked out to the sea and then to him again, speaking at last. "I'm sorry. I guess I've always been lucky. My mother was always very supportive of me."

"Don't be sorry." Ed finally felt at ease enough to bite into the pastry. "Where is she now?"

"Dead," Oswald said softly, voice falling into the gust of wind like a leaf in motion.

Ed wasn't sure what force of nature compelled him to grab Oswald's hand. But he wasn't met with opposition. Oswald's fingers curled around his gently. "So is mine," Ed mumbled unintentionally, overwhelmed by some strange connection. " _Sorry_ ," He added hastily."

Oswald looked at him, eye sorrowfully understanding. "I'm sorry too."

Ed shook his head and looked out into the sea. "Don't be." He exhaled, trying to rid the rush of anxiety from his system. "She wasn't very nice." He regretted it instantly. _How sick, how absurd_ , that must have sounded.

He was ready to feel the loss of touch. To watch Oswald's footsteps across the beach until they disappear into nothing and never came back.

Instead he felt a light squeeze to his hand and looked up to see warm green eyes gazing into his. "Then cheers to freedom, then." His lips curled into a soft little smile. "Next time, I will bring wine."

Ed had not smiled so brightly in over three years.

Tonight, his life began again. Tonight he was whole.

* * *

"I don't know know how to do that!" Oswald cried in frustration. He jabbed the buttons furiously and growled.

"Here, wait." Ed paused the game and held back at chuckle. "You're hitting the wrong buttons." He placed his hands over Oswald's on the controller and moved his fingers into place. "Here you go." He felt Oswald lean back into him and heat rose to his face. This was a good feeling, one that he did not want to end. But he knew it was too good to be true.

He drew away and glanced at the clock. Either his mind was playing tricks on him or Oswald had whined at the loss of contact. "Whoa, is it lunch time already?"

"I guess, we were having too much fun." Oswald laughed. "We could make something."

Ed shook his head. "I don't really have anything in the house right now. How about we go out for lunch." He rose and dipped down to help Oswald up. "What would you like?"

Oswald shrugged. "Take me anywhere you want. I have been here for four months and there are still so many places I haven't tried. I'm trusting your expertise!" He chuckled and took Edward's hand, pulling him toward the door. "Now come on, I'm hungry."

Ed stumbled forward, laughing and following Oswald out of the house. Their hands drew apart when Ed stopped to lock the door.

The lady next door threw them a nasty glare. Oswald glared back with seething eyes.

Ed laughed beneath his breath. "Don't mind her. She's always like that."

"Am I causing too much ruckus?" Oswald smiled fondly, tugging at his hand once again.

"No, my father just told everyone here that I'm medically insane."

Oswald's smile faded in an instant.

Ed force a grin, worrying that he had killed the mood. "Now, come on. I think you'll like this little seaside brunch."

* * *

The beach had been closed for weeks now. So they the two of them had found other places to meet.

They had found little hideouts in coffee shops, hidden shores, local museums, the botanic gardens, and little parks scattered throughout the town.

But now that the caution tape was removed and the beach was deemed safe again, Ed could take Oswald up on that glass of wine.

"How odd that my neighbor was mauled by a shark. The woman hardly even swam." Ed glanced over to his friend who seemed to be lost in a daze. "Oswald, _why are you smiling_?"

" _Oh_ " Oswald's eyes suddenly drew back to his. He and shrugged shoulders, laughing as if he didn't have a care in the world. "I was just thinking about the tiramisu we had earlier. It was delightful. We should really go back to that place." He smiled sheepishly. "As for your neighbor," he hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe it was _karma_." He shrugged again, this time a bit less nonchalant than before.

"Maybe." Ed shrugged it off. He never really put much thought into things like that. With the type of luck he had always seemed to have, it would only be depressing.

"Why, are you afraid to swim at the beach now?" Oswald asked, eyes sparkling with genuine curiosity.

"No." Ed said without missing a beat. "Sharks don't attack unless they are provoked. _It's their ocean after all._ To live in constant fear of nature is not to live at all." He said matter-of-factly. "In all honesty, I find humans more frightening."

Before he could process a thought more, Oswald's hands were on his face. His warm lips pressed to his and the world stopped. A million thoughts tore through Edward's head, yet, his mind could not slow enough to focus on anyone of them.

When Oswald broke away from the short kiss all Ed could do was stare at him, flabbergasted.

Oswald's eyes were yearning, _begging_ him for a response. So he let his body take the lead and moved forward to capture Oswald's lips.

It could have been hours, minutes, Ed sure as hell didn't know. All he could feel was the warmth of Oswalds lips and the gentle pressure of Oswald's hands on his face. Time stopped and the world wasn't turning. There was nothing but the two of them, lost in this innocent embrace.

Oswald broke away, breathing softly, lips puffy. He was smiling, a little smugly, as if he had accomplished something.

Ed couldn't seem himself but if he had, he was sure his face would have been as bright as a tomato. He looked around quickly to see if there were any witnesses.

When Ed looked back to Oswald he noticed that he seemed agitated by the action. "Is there something wrong?" Oswald folded his arms, his brow furrowed.

"Ah-no... _It's just_ -"

"Yes?" Oswald hissed, clearly displeased.

"M-my father, he can't know."

Oswald's frown slowly melted away. "Oh" His voice sounded almost apologetic.

Ed suddenly felt the tip of Oswald's forefinger on his lips. He looked into a pair of green eyes, sparkling with mischief. "Don't worry." Oswald said smoothly. " _I can keep a secret_."

"Now come on." Oswald rose and pulled him to his feet. "Let's see how well you can swim."

* * *

Edward giggled as Oswald's fingertips glided over his sides. He tried to squirm out of grasp but Oswald only pulled him closer. He launched his own attack, fingers wiggling furiously along Oswald's sides. A undignified shriek and a melody of unstrained giggles was music to his ears.

"Edward Nygma! Don't you dare!" Was somehow made out through a flurry of laugher. Oswald halted his tickling in light of trying to shove Ed off. "You're terrible!" He managed to shriek between the helpless string of giggles.

Finally, after several minutes of struggling, Oswald had managed to shove him off.

"Hah! Finally!" Ed declared while trying to pull a grumbling Oswald close. "I never get to tickle _you_. That was exhilarating."

Oswald tried to roll away, but was horribly intercepted, being scooped up into Ed'd arms instead.

"You're going to wish you didn't! I'm never going easy on you again."

"Challenge accepted!" Ed grinned, slap happy, drunk on the rare sense of happiness that only seemed to stumble into his life once in a blue moon. Was the expiration date coming soon? Because he knew that this time, when he fell from his high, he might not be able to get back up.

He rolled Oswald on top of him and kissed him until their lips were numb and the sun was fading from the sky.

Love never felt this easy. Not with Kristin or Isabella, not with anyone. Maybe it was because it was _wrong_ that it was so alluring. He was a _bad boy_. _Sick. Demented_. Someone no mother could be proud of. He kept secrets and skeletons in his closet. Burdens that his father had to bear. Sins that had to be beat out of through private school or his father's worn belt.

But if this was wrong that meant that _Oswald_ was wrong too and that would be no short of impossible. _Incredulous. Sheerly Mad_. The numbers did not add up. The equation would not compute.

Oswald was _perfect_. Holy. And no one could tell him otherwise.

And that was the _haunting part_. The witch's curse. All good things came to an end for Edward Nygma. And in time, this would too.

The click of a lock being undone, caused Ed's head to jerk.

Oswald whined in displeasure, lips still parted from the heat of their kiss.

" _Oh crud, oh crud_ ," Ed mumbled beneath his breath, shoving Oswald off unceremoniously and rearranging himself to look somewhat decent.

"What is it?" Oswald rose, taking the cue to make himself look presentable.

"My father is home."

"Oh" Oswald seemed unusually calm. He shrugged while walking to Ed's mirror to put his hair back in place. "Just tell him that you were having me help you look over your thesis."

"Yes...right." Ed exhaled, pacing back and forth as to calm in buzzing nerves. " _It will be okay. It will be fine_." He told himself again and again until in sunk in a fraction.

* * *

Ed's father removed his suit jacket, hanging it over the back of the kitchen chair. He was bland, with graying hair and unsettling energy. Like someone you would see on the front page of the newspaper for embezzling thousands of dollars out of some poor retirees' 401ks.

"Dad," Ed said to quickly to be casual. "I thought you were out of town this week."

"That's tomorrow, Ed. _God, can't you keep anything straight_ ," he growled while shuffling through the fridge.

He looked up, wiping the scowl off of his face in a heartbeat and replacing it with an very unconvincing smile. "You didn't tell me that you had company." His voice was meant to appear kind, yet it still managed to hold a dangerous edge.

"This is my friend. We were studying- _well_ , it was helping me look over my thesis." Ed tried his hardest to appear natural.

"Friend, huh? Welcome. It's been _years_ since Ed had any friends. _Not exactly the charmer are you Eddie_?"

Ed forced a tight lipped smile.

"It's been at least _five years_ since you brought anyone here. And _who knows_ how long since you had a _girlfriend_. But I guess I can't hope for too much." Ed's father's voice was pleasantly nonchalant as if he was talking about the weather rather than demeaning his son.

In fact, it was so incredibly unnerving that it seemed to take every ounce of energy in Oswald's being to remain calm. Ed had never seen him so wound up before.

"What's your name, son?" The graying man asked Oswald and extended his hand.

"Oswald." With a curt nod, Oswald shook the hand with the least amount of force his raging temper could muster.

"It's good to know that Edward has someone to help him with school work. The sooner he graduates the sooner he can _get on with his life_." The man seemed to give Ed a nonverbal cue that had him rushing into the kitchen to prepare a meal.

"Thank you sir," Oswald bore is best faux-smile. " _But Ed is brilliant_ , honestly one of the smartest people I have ever met. He really doesn't need my help. I'm nothing but a second set of eyes."

"Hmm" was the only response he received from the monster. "Well, kid, why don't you stay for dinner. Ed's not good at much, but he's a decent cook."

Oswald caught Ed's pleading stare and nodded his head despite his trembling fingers. It would take all of his energy to sink his fork into his food rather than the man's heart. But for Ed, he would try. "I'd love to. Thank you for inviting me."

* * *

Oswald swirled the last bit of spaghetti onto his fork.

"Marine biology? Is that what brought you to this dump?" Ed's father was so inexpressive it was difficult to tell if he was jesting.

"I'm quite fond of this town actually. I always feel a home by the sea." Oswald said quietly, voice holding a certain softness that never ceased to put Ed's nerves at ease.

Ed's father shook his head. "I'm more of a city man. I've never been a big fan of the ocean. It's a waste of useful space, full of monsters. But, I've been working with Hydric Corp a long time. I've seen things you probably couldn't even imagine. If you knew what was in there you wouldn't like it either."

" _Oh is that so_?" Oswald asked with mock innocence. If Ed hadn't known better he would have thought that he'd caught a quick glance of an amused smirk rising to Oswald's lips. But it was gone so quickly that Ed was certain that he had imagined it.

"Mr. Nygma, may I ask, if you are so fond of the city, why did you move out here?"

Ed's father grimaced. "Ed had too many issues, a small town life suits him better. With the anxiety and all of that nonsense." He rolled his eyes with no restraint. "The things we do for our kids huh?"

* * *

Oswald's fingers glided through his hair gently, playing with the ends here and there, sending delightful shivers through his body.

The breeze made the ends of their picnic blanket curl over. The sound of the waves rolling onto the beach was a pleasant soundtrack to their thoughts. Silence was never awkward, just warm and comfortable.

"Why don't you leave?"

"What?" Ed's eyes fluttered open, Oswald's face coming into vision.

"Why don't you move out. Away from your father. You're clearly _very unhappy_ there."

Oswald felt Ed's body tense.

"I-I _well_...it's not a good time."

Oswald rolled his eyes. He brushed Ed's bangs from his face with a gentle whisk of his fingers. "You're 30, you have a very good salary and you pay your father more money than you would for rent in any decent apartment in the area."

Ed shifted nervously in his lap. " _It's complicated_. I don't want to cause any trouble between him and I."

"So you're just going to be miserable for the rest of your life until what? Until you marry some woman just to make him happy and move in with her just to be a different type of miserable. _Ed your and adult. You don't have to stay._ "

Ed's lips parted then closed again. He brow furrowed. He seemed at a loss for words.

"It's just…" His voice was so small that it could hardly be heard over the gull's songs in the background. _"Right now I can't_."

Oswald's eyes were suddenly cold. " _He has something on you_." He said more than asked.

Ed's eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights. " _NO! No, no, no!_ " He stuttered hastily.

But Oswald didn't move an inch.

* * *

Oswald had been different since that day. Distant, dreamy, lost in thought. Edward often found him floating at the edge of the atmosphere. To high above the ground to walk amongst the human race.

But the one thing that had not changed was the energy that bristled between the two of them every time they touched, kissed, fell into each other's rhythm.

"Run away with me." Oswald told him, eyes bright and full of life as they walked on the beach just at the break of dawn.

"Oswald, I wish-" Ed found himself straying away from those lively eyes to look to the ground.

"I've never stayed in place since my mother and father died. I've been here there, so many places. I never thought that I would stop, _until I met you_." The sparking energy in his voice simmered down to a soft buzz.

Ed looked up to see Oswald's eyes looking into his with all the love in the world.

"But now I know that that isn't so. We should go away from here, _together_." Oswald took Ed's hands in his and squeezed softly.

Ed felt the warmth of those hands seep slowly into his body, his soul.

He looked the the ground for an agonizing minute then finally lifted his head to bask in the warmth of that loving gaze.

"For you, I will try."

* * *

Edward could not sleep that night.

Fear had crawling into his bed and placed it's cold hands around his throat.

He should have been happy. To be loved so deeply. To have someone who looked out for his well being, who ached to see him whole and happy.

He should have been happy. But the monsters came crawling into his dreams, stirring old memories from their graves.

 _"You're lucky that you even got a job after what you did, Ed! What would your mother have thought if she had known that she gave birth to this-this monster!"_

 _"It was an accident!" He cried. But was it? Who was he really? He still did not know._

 _But Oswald seemed to and that seemed to be his only saving grace._

 _Ed felt a sting where the blow had hit his face. "Don't lie to me!" His father hissed through his teeth. "How dare you lie to my face. How dare you ask me to move out of this house when you're the one who brought me to this hell. This mangy, disgusting hole of a town in the middle of nowhere." His father growled low so that their voices were hushed to nosy ears._

 _"If it wasn't for you we wouldn't have had to move. And if it wasn't for me, you would be rotting on the streets, dog food. You'd be nothing Ed. You'd be back in that hell hole of a prison. I made you, so you owe this to me."_

 _Ed swallowed, his throat dry and his fists balled tightly at his sides. "Yes, sir." He bowed his head and retreated to his room._

* * *

Oswald sat atop his bed, carefully folding his clothes and placing them into the suitcase. "Are you going to take these, too?" He gestured to a pair of old glasses.

"No, they don't fit anymore. And they don't exactly hold very good memories." Ed scrunched nose as he recalled several incidents he and those glasses had weathered during his childhood.

Oswald held them up under the light and studied them carefully, only to snap in half and toss them in the trash a moment later, earning a chuckle from his partner.

"Did you really just snap my glasses in half?" When had Oswald Cobblepot waltzed so freely onto the mainstage of his life?

"There is no use in keeping something that doesn't make you happy," Oswald said nonchalantly while continuing to fold.

A loud ding drew Ed's attention away for a moment. "The cookies are done."

"You go fetch them and I'm going to work on this next drawer. If we time it right, we should be able to move everything out before your father gets back from his trip." Oswald rose from the bed to place a kiss atop Ed's cheek.

"Alright, but please keep them organized by color."

A little chuckle bubbled from the dark haired man's lips. "Whatever you want, darling." He rose to press a quick kiss to Ed's lips.

 _Darling_. He could get used to that.

* * *

Ed walked back toward the bedroom, plate in hand, ready to finish their packing mission.

When he entered the room Oswald was nowhere to be found. _How peculiar._

Perhaps he was in the restroom? No. The light wasn't on.

Or maybe he had stepped out? _But why?_ That did not seem the least bit logical.

Ed wandered down the hall absentmindedly, glancing here and there. He halted when he finally discovered Oswald sitting atop of a desk with a sheet of paper in hand. His eyes were glued to the contents of the page.

"Oh there you are," Ed said cheerfully before it set in.

 _This was his father's room._

 _Those photos. Those articles._

The plate shattered. The cookies rolled across the floor.

Oswald's head shot up instantly. He dropped the sheet of paper that he was grasping.

It tumbled to the floor unceremoniously. Blockly font ringing throughout the room with the shrill shriek of a banshee's scream,

 ** _Edward Nygma Charged For Murder in the First Degree._**

* * *

It was all a blur. The lights the sounds. The warmth of Oswald's body against him as he dragged him out of the hollow abyss. Soft whispers in his ears. Gentle kisses to his brow.

His lips moved on their own, he had no say in the matter.

 _'it was an accident, i had to, i couldn't, i'm sorry, i'm sorry, i'm sorry.'_

Shhh, Don't worry. You don't have to be sorry," Oswald cooed.

' _I'm no saint. You'll see. I've tamed my own demons. You're just like me. Life's a bitter game and you and I, we're one in the same'_

Had it been so poetic at the time? Or had his mind twisted the memory into something easier to swallow.

All he remembered was waking up in Oswald's arms, his tears kisses away by the gentle brush of soft lips.

He was wrong, _oh how he was wrong._ Oswald wasn't perfect. He was _so much more._ He was otherworldly, a child of the stars!

Could the universe have made him just for Ed? This clever, mischievous creature, with a will of steel, the bite of a beast, and _a heart of gold that beat just for Ed_.

It seemed that Oswald too, had taken a life ( _maybe more_ ). Oswald too was beaten, burned at the stake, damaged beyond repair just to crawl from beneath the ashes stronger than ever.

Edward had spent his whole life running away from himself. Tearing himself apart and putting himself back together over and over just to fall back into the same pit of self despair.

No one had ever seen beyond his battered shell, reached into his torn up soul.

They threw rocks at him, came to his door with pitchforks in the night. You freak, monster, weirdo, you sick and demented boy. yo r.

And Oswald had vanquished them all with the flick of his hand and the snap of his teeth.

Oswald wasn't perfect. _He was imperfectly extraordinary._

* * *

They lay awake at night, looking at the moon, sand beneath them, stars above them like a field of eyes watching the movie of their life.

The ends of their fingers are entangled. Oswald runs the pad of his thumb along Ed's forefinger.

" _I've wronged you_."

Ed grasps his hand before it can pull away. He tries to look into his eyes but they are lost in the starry sky. He can see a small crinkle in the corner, a glisten of a small glassy tear, trapped and forbidden to fall.

"What do you mean? If it's about ruining my book. It's okay. I know it was an accident. I wasn't upset at all. I can buy a new one."

"No, it wasn't that." Oswald whispers to him, trying gently to pull his hand away.

"Then what?" Ed whispers, frowning and tangling their fingers together. Forbidding him to leave.

"I am not who you think I am." Oswald looked at him finally, eyes glimmering with a shaken uncertainty that was very uncharacteristic of such a decorous creature.

"Oh Oswald." Ed felt the weight of the moment lift from his spirit. "Don't worry. Nothing about you could change the way I feel." He ran thumb along the back of Oswald's hand to calm his nerves. "If you could accept me after learning I was charged and imprisoned for first degree murder whatever could I judge you for?" He spoke gently, voice harmonizing with the melody of the waves and his steady heartbeat.

He had never been so lucky in his life. Never been so deserving of someone who truly understood him. _Lady Universe please don't take him away from me_ , his heartbeat spoke in morse code.

Oswald did not seem any less distraught. He chewed his lip and looked down at their tangled fingers, eyes flicking up to meet Ed's finally after several long minutes.

He smile as if he was warding back an bubble of laughter. "I'm not sure if you will even believe me."

" _Try me_." Ed moved to prop himself up on an elbow, never once releasing Oswald's hand.

"Well…" He spoke slowly. His eyes rolling up for a moment while he searched the recesses of his mind. "I'm not exactly human." That wasn't the secret. Not really. _That was forgivable._

Ed rolled back on his back and laughed. "You're such a tease. What is it really?"

"It's true!" Oswald hissed, a little agitated at Ed's amusement.

Ed's eyes were suddenly solemn. "Wait, what do you mean? Are you saying that you are some kind of alien."

"No, I was born of this earth…"

Oswald sighed, mulling over how exactly to explain it properly. He scrunched his and shifted over to lay on his stomach. He focused on Ed's hands, playing with his fingers gently.

"Do you remember what your father said?"

Ed frowned watching Oswald's eyes slowly rise to meet his.

"That the sea is full of monsters. Ones that you would not even imagine." Oswald's voice was soft but there was a bit of bitterness seeping from the edges. " _He was talking about me_."

"I-I don't understand." Ed's eyes begged him for an answer.

"I was born of this earth. But not on land." Oswald's eyes drew away from his to look out into the rolling waves. "In the sea."

Ed followed his gaze to look into the ocean. He looked back at Oswald incredulously. Some many questions were spinning in his head but he could not find a voice to speak.

"I can show you," Oswald spoke for him, rising slowly and pulling Ed up with him. "We'll have to go a little deep. The tide is low. It should be safe."

He pulled Ed's hand gently, the two of them at arm's length. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," Ed breathed, voice barely heard over the whispers of the waves. _With my life._

* * *

The floated amongst the waves, the gentle motion pulling them back and forth. They were far from the shore now. The tall wooden posts along the beach looked like toothpicks from here.

As they swam Ed noticed Oswald was changing slowly. He felt a hum of something that had to be an ancient force, born before the time of man. It flowed from Oswald's body to his, opening his eyes to wonder.

And here was Oswald. The real him. Teeth sharp like a canine's, fingers webbed and clawed. Eyes a softer green than he could ever imagine, beneath the pale light of the full moon. It was too dark to see but Ed could feel the strong sleek tail as it brushed his legs and moved against the force of the water

"Well," Oswald's eyes were on him and him alone, a bit of fear dancing in them for the first time since Ed had known him.

" _You're so beautiful_ ," Ed said below his breath, unable to draw his eyes away from the breathtaking sight before him.

Oswald's slick fingers were on his face. Ed place his hands upon Oswald's wasit to steady himself against the soft roll of the waves.

Their lips met and suddenly the world began again. Blooming bright in a new palette, fresh with life.

Oswald's lips move pliantly against his, they fit together perfectly as if they were made for this moment. The kiss was so overwhelming that Ed almost forgot that they were floating amongst the waves of the sea.

"I love you." Oswald breathed against his lips when they broke apart. Their foreheads rest against each other. Their wet hair sticking to each other's temples.

Ed let the words sink into his soul. He let the love warm the hollow parts of his being and fill the holes within him.

"I love you." He tipped Oswald's chin up and slotted their lips together again in a soft lingering kiss.

When Oswald broke away his eyes were lackluster, fading with an aching sadness.

" _You shouldn'_ t"

Ed grasped his chin again, forcing their eyes to meet.

"This doesn't change anything." Ed whispered gently. "You're more than anything I could have ever wanted. You've given me more than anyone ever has. I think I love you even more now that I know who you really are."

Oswald was pulling him gently, tail twisting as he eased him in the direction of the shore.

"That's not what I meant." He said softly tugging Ed's hand to usher him back.

"I have something else to tell you. Let's go back to shore."

Ed felt his heart stutter. He wasn't afraid. He had his secrets and Oswald had his own. _Demons from their past lives_. Soon those would all be dust in the wind.

* * *

They laid out on the shore, wringing the water from their hair. Oswald sat on the sand, their picnic blanket draped around him loosely.

The sparkle had not returned to his eyes, they were overcast with a veil of sadness.

"Ed…" He began slowly, looking to the sand rather than into Ed's eyes.

"When we first met in the cafe, it was no accident."

Ed swallowed, his heart beating quickly. _Oh. This is not what he had expected._

"I knew you would be there. I was waiting for you"

A not in his stomach twisted. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Oswald. He couldn't breath.

"I had been watching you for days. I knew what you liked. Your mannerism. It was funny really, that you were a bit like me. I thought this would be easy."

 _The stake drove into his heart._

"Easy to fall into sync with you. Easy to befriend you."

 _It twisted and tore and ripped his flesh._

"To get you to trust me."

 _Tearing him apart seam by seam._

"And get you to invite me into your home."

 _His body was shaking. No no no. This couldn't be._

"But it wasn't easy. I knew that you were falling in love with me."

Oswald reached forward to touch his face and he felt something shatter.

" _Stop! STOP! No don't touch me_." He tore the hand away from him and inched back. His voice broke in a ragged sob. _He couldn't breath, he couldn't think._

"When they sent me here I didn't want to come. I didn't think it would be worth it." Oswald was reaching for him desperately despite his protest, grasping his shoulders, his face.

"No, let me go!" Ed screamed, trying to wrench the hands off of him.

"I didn't think I was going to fall in love with you!" Oswald sobbed desperately, grasping Eds shoulder's like his life depended on it.

"You don't love me! You came here do destroy me!" Ed choked, tears tumbling down his face like the harsh beat of a heavy rain.

"I came here to kill your father!" Oswald's voice rang in his ears with an electric hum, coursing from his bones into the fabric of his soul.

The coils in his stomach unravelled and his vision cleared enough to see the glistening paths that the tears had drawn across Oswald's cheeks.

"I came here to kill your father," Oswald repeated softly.

His sad eyes carving a path into Edward's scarred heart.

"He is responsible for permitting the dumping of hazardous chemicals into the sea. Many of my kin have died." He tried to steady his voice. "I knew I came here with a purpose. _To slaughter this monster_. But, now more than ever, I know that I was destined to come here."

He loosened his grip on Ed's shoulders, nails leaving little half moons in their wake. A physical memory of this day for times to come.

"I only regret having to betray you. _I love you, can't you see that_?" Oswald's eyes were pleading.

Ed let the air fill his lungs. He let the bitterness fizz out of his system slowly. The fear evaporate from his mind. "I love you, Oswald. I can forgive you, but _I need time to process this all._ Time to understand."

Oswald sighted, the weight bearing down on him lifted. He traced a finger along Ed's jaw, a soft ghost of a touch. "Time, I can give."

Ed's eyes fluttered close. He surrendered himself to the gentle sea breeze and the soft touch of Oswald's lips to his.

He drew him closer, letting their tears and their tongues mingle beneath the light of the full moon, heartbeats inline with the rhythm of the sea.

When they came apart Edward looked into Oswald's eyes, searching, only to find the same love that had pieced him back together the first time they kissed.

Oswald wasn't _perfect_. He was the boy that the moon chased and the stars wished for. He was everything Ed dreamed to be. And he was Ed's and only Ed's

"You said you came here to kill my father?" Ed whispered, never breaking their intimate gaze.

"Yes," Oswald whispered back, eyes glowing with unfiltered affection.

"I'm very good at hiding a body..."


End file.
